1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chafe protector for cargo securing straps to shield the straps from wearing engagement against an object, and more particularly, to an easily attachable, adjustable, and removable strap chafe protector that will hold a desired position on a strap until forcibly manipulated to a new position when the strap is under non-load bearing conditions.
2) Description of Related Art
Cargo securing straps are used in a wide variety of application from securing heavy loads on commercial flatbed trucks and railway cars to non-commercial light duty applications such as strapping down an item in a pickup truck. A common material for constructing securing straps is nylon, particularly for use in non-commercial light duty applications as they are light weight and extremely strong. However, nylon straps are subject to fraying and ultimately total structural failure resulting from wearing engagement with items over which the straps pass during use. Thus there is a need to protect the strap from wearing engagement against the items being secured without damage to the item.
The prior art discloses a variety of strap attachments. However, most of these items are designed to protect the corner of an item from being damaged by the strap, or do not address the concerns of providing a strap protector that is quickly and easily attachable, removable, and adjustable along the length of the strap. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,479 discloses a bendable plastic corner support for use in conjunction with strapping materials. The apparatus includes two openings at distal ends for receiving a strap and tabs which extend from the openings that stick into the strap to hold it in a fixed position on the strap. This protector is specifically designed to operate at right angles in order to distribute the force of the strap over a broader area of the edge of the item over which the strap passes to prevent damage to the corner of the item. Once the corner support is in position on the strap it is not readily moveable along the strap due to the tabs which dig into the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,996 also discloses an edge protector designed to distribute the force from a tie-down strap over a broader area to prevent damaging the corner edge of a package. The protector is specifically designed in a planar form with a score line through the middle that allows for bending of the protector specifically to a right angle arrangement for protecting corner edges. The invention discloses a spring clip that extends over the strap in order to hold the edge protector in position on the strap. Repositioning of the strap requires tedious manipulation of the spring clip that does not promote a quick and easy attachment, removal, or adjustment along the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,152,693 discloses a slip guide for binding straps. The guide is preformed of a plastic material with two legs extending at approximately a 90° angle from one another. The guide is attached to the strap in a removable manner using tabs that extend partly over the surface of the strap in an opposing arrangement. The tabs are formed in a planar arrangement with the rest of the guide and must be manipulated by bending them upward and outward in order to first receive the strap, and then folded down and locked in position to secure the strap. Repositioning of the strap requires the manipulation of these tabs and the right angle makes sliding along the strap extremely difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,865 discloses a lading tie-down strap protector. The protector is secured to the strap by a plurality of flaps that enclose the strap and through which the strap is threaded. The strap can only be removed by manipulating the flaps which are locked in position. Additionally, in order for the flaps to hold the protector in position on the strap, the strap must be a given thickness or the protector will simply slide down the strap uncontrolled. While this invention is intended to protect the strap, it fails to provide a for quick and simply attachment and adjustment on the strap.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cargo securing strap chafe protector that shields the straps from wearing engagement against an item over which the strap passes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an easily attachable and removable strap chafe protector.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a strap chafe protector that can be quickly adjusted and repositioned to a desired location along the length of the strap.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a strap chafe protector that will hold a desired position on a strap until forcibly manipulated to a new position when the strap is under non-load bearing conditions.